


When You See It

by NachoDiablo



Category: Black Panther (2018), Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Fusion, Canon typical violence (offscreen), Crossover, Gen, Mild Blood, hint of background Flonks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-14
Updated: 2019-08-14
Packaged: 2020-09-01 01:09:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,095
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20249668
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NachoDiablo/pseuds/NachoDiablo
Summary: Fleur meets a new friend on a frustrating mission.





	When You See It

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [into a bar ficathon](https://intoabar.dreamwidth.org/) on Dreamwidth. My assignment was, “Fleur Delacour (Harry Potter) goes into a bar and meets... Shuri (Black Panther)!”
> 
> This is vaguely set in the HP universe, during the time of the second war. How or when (or if, for that matter) the MCU universe intersects is up to you. Please enjoy, and check out the other fics in the collection!

Blood pooled in the folds of Fleur’s robes near her waist. Pressed against the dirty brick of an alleyway, she muttered a few hasty healing spells and a rushed  _ Scourgify. _ She had to patch herself back together enough to track down the two Death Eaters she’d been pursuing for the past three countries.

She’d trailed them here to Athens. The city seemed largely abandoned by the locals, likely due to the suffocating August heat. Fleur scowled as she adjusted her headscarf and squared her shoulders. She ignored the ache of her mending muscles as she slipped into the storefront that she’d seen the Death Eaters stride into a few minutes earlier. Thankfully, her robes were styled so as to be easily passable as a Muggle woman’s modest dress.

A whispered Disillusionment charm kept her hidden as she watched the two Death Eaters argue animatedly with the bartender, then stomp angrily towards the restrooms. Fleur inched towards the loo, but grimaced as she heard the distinctive  _ pop _ of Apparition.

She’d lost them, and that meant she’d lost the talisman as well. 

Not that she knew exactly what sort of talisman she was looking for. Dumbledore had been vague.  _ You will know it when you see it, _ he’d said with one of those infuriatingly bemused smiles.

Fleur shook off her Disillusionment charm and headed towards the bar. She had time for one drink before she went home to her girlfriend for an encouraging kiss before she had to face the Order and tell them she’d failed.

“One Coca-Cola, please.” Fleur smiled and counted out a generous, but appropriate, amount of Muggle coins to drop into the tip jar. As the bartender handed over a glass of cola and a half-empty bottle, Fleur flicked a bit of Veela charm across the bar, and the bartender’s expression grew even more cheerful.

Fleur gripped her glass and took a deep drought. The harsh bubbles felt refreshing against her parched throat. She sighed, then took another drink before setting the glass down on the table.

_ “À votre santé.”  _

Fleur turned in surprise to the patron on her left, the only other person in the establishment. A young woman with intricate braids done up in two buns had her own glass lifted in a toast. Her clothes were trendy, but not flashy, and her not-quite-silver jewelry had an odd sort polished shine to it.

Fleur returned the smile and raised her own glass.  _ “À votre santé,” _ she replied.

“Mine is a Coke, too,” the woman said. “So you are in good company.”

“It appears so.” 

The woman stuck out her hand in greeting. “My name is Shuri.”

Fleur accepted it and gave a cautious shake. “Fleur,” she said. “A pleasure.”

“Likewise.” Shuri seemed amused as she emptied the last of her Coke from its bottle into her glass. “You are not just popping in for a drink, are you.”

Fleur tensed, and fixed Shuri with a level gaze. “What makes you say that? Perhaps I heard that this place serves the best Coca-Cola in all of Athens.”

“Perhaps,” Shuri mused with a smirk. “Or  _ perhaps _ you are looking for something.”

Fleur said nothing as she took another sip of her cola. She didn’t feel threatened by the statement; she’d always been an excellent judge of character, and Shuri felt like a friend, not a foe. Still, she had to be careful. “What makes you say that?” she asked eventually.

Shuri shrugged. “I would bet that people underestimate you,” she replied. “They do the same to me. So most people probably did not see you sneak in and then somehow transform into the tacky wallpaper by the toilets.”

“But you are not most people.”

“I am not,” Shuri agreed. “But luckily for you, I washed my hands before I got my drink.”

Fleur arched one eyebrow delicately, and Shuri laughed. “I used the restroom,” she explained, “and I came across something very interesting in one of the stalls.”

She patted her hand against the pocket of her jeans, where a slight bulge was visible.

Fleur inhaled sharply. She might not know what the talisman was, but she knew that Muggles were not supposed to be able to see or touch it. “How did you…”

“Magic,” Shuri said with a wink.

Fleur shot her an incredulous look, but before she could raise any questions, Shuri raised her hand and wriggled her fingers. She looked around the room surreptitiously, and, seeing that the bartender had headed to the back and the two of them were alone, she tapped her thumb to the ring on her forefinger. A series of metallic plates spread out and covered her hand in a protective glove, which she then shoved into her pocket.

“Magic and science, they are often one and the same.”

Shuri pulled her hand out of her pocket and held out her open palm. A small dove carving sat in the middle of her palm, head tilting as it fluffed its whorled wooden feathers.

“I heard the two men harassing the bartender about looking for something  _ unusual,” _ Shuri said with a scowl. “They were unbearable. As though anyone in orange pinstripes has the right to be so rude.”

“Oh, thank you so much!” Fleur breathed a sigh of relief as Shuri tipped the dove into her waiting hands. Quickly, she pulled out the little silk bag that she had been given for talisman transport. “Honestly, you have no idea what this means.”

“Maybe not,” Shuri said gravely, “but I know something important when I see it.”

“So do I.” Fleur slid two fingers under her headscarf and deftly pulled out a long strand of hair. She wound the golden thread around her fingers and handed it to Shuri. “For you. A token of thanks.” 

Shuri’s confused look gave way to one of wonder as she eyed the hair. Fleur knew that there was no mistaking the sheen of Veela magic. It was a risk, allowing magic that strong into the hands of a Muggle, but Fleur had no doubt that someone with Shuri’s cleverness and compassion would use it to do great things.

Fleur drained her cola and pushed away her empty glass. “I have to be going. But it was lovely to meet you.”

“Likewise,” Shuri said. She nodded towards the restrooms. “Will you be vanishing into the toilets, too?”

“No,” Fleur chuckled. “I believe I will leave the way I came.” She flashed one last smile, then headed out. If she hurried, she’d have just enough time for that kiss before the next Order meeting.


End file.
